The Hunger Games LXIX
by Violist117
Summary: One boy, one girl, one game. This story is the beginning of the Katniss rebellion, and the reasons peacekeepers became strict. Epic story, about friendship, loyalty, and the desire for freedom. My first story.


Remember I do not own the Hunger Games

Pre-game

A warm breeze flittered through the air as my friends Will, Shelby, Savannah, Sierra, and my brother Joshua, crawled under the electric fence, that separated district 8 from the forest.  
We had hunted for a while, when we met Tyler. He is my best friend, but he lives in district 7. Then Sierra when and checked the snares. My brother Joshua climbed up into a tree blind, to deer hunt, so then the rest of split up to go rabbit hunting.  
After the hunt, we split the spoils and went to Will's house. We talked merrily until the subject of the reaping came up.  
The reaping was when the tributes were selected for the Hunger games. Then a boy and a girl from each district were selected to fight each other to the death on live T.V. There are 12 districts, 24 tributes, there age can range from 12 to name is available once when you are 12, twice when you are 13, and so forth. My name is available four times, Joshua's once, Shelby's five times, Will's six times. Sierra's not available because she's 11, but Savannah is available three times.  
Since me and all of my friends our poor, we live in the same neighborhood, and we spend most of our time together. Then the dark though starts to haunt me what if one of my friends are picked, but there are thousands of kids available at the reaping. I shudder at that thought, and shake it from my mind. After a cold bowl of stew, I go to sleep on the hard bed.  
The next morning I wake up late, at 11:30, but every one sleeps late on the reaping. At the reaping every one dresses in their best clothes. Today I put on a dark blue and orange plaid button up shirt. A pair of blue jeans. Joshua wore a light green tunic, cotton pants and a light green cowl.  
At the justice building, I see a two-glass ball with pieces of paper inside. I find Shelby wearing a flashy yellow tee pinstriped shirt, and matching pants. Will's wearing a white shirt, black sports jacket with matching pants. We chit chat for a couple of minutes then I spotted the Mayor Jared Floyd standing at a podium.  
"Hello, and welcome to the 69th reaping of district 8." he said trying to be cheerful, but he sounded glum. "This year we are going the start the drawing of the male first." He reached into the bowl grabbing a slip of paper. "And the male contestant from district 8 is Caleb Lamb."  
My jaw dropped to the floor. Caleb Lamb, could that be right. I walked up to the podium slowly, my mind a blur. "Congratulations Mr. Lamb." he said in hollow words, shaking my hand. "Now let's see who the female contender will be." he reached into the bowl grabbing the name. "Savannah Spears."  
Great my best friend's sister, my new enemy, if I kill her he'll never forgive me.  
Savannah walked up to the stage calmly trying to smile. "Well Ms. Spears and Mr. Lamb, may the olds be ever in your favor." We were whisked into the justice building. This is where the tributes were to say their good-byes to their family and friends.  
Joshua, Shelby, and Will, were the first one's to come in. No one said anything until Shelby said, "Protect Savannah, I know she'll die, but try to keep her alive."  
"Ok, I'll try my best." I answered.  
The peacekeeper came and escorted them out. Then I was led us on a train, headed for the Capitol.  
The train's average speed was 250 mph. Savannah and me decided then get something the eat. Most tributes had a mentor to train them for the games but we didn't.  
So we watch the reapings on the TV, their was a mean looking guy from district 3, A skinny 18 year old from district 5. Two twelve old twins from district 12. A great mix of tributes.  
"Caleb," said Savannah.  
"What?" I say.  
"It's so unfair, I'll have to kill you." she said gravely.  
"Hey, don't sweat it; surely someone will kill me first."  
"I don't know, Caleb your pretty stealthy." It then occurred to me I am pretty sly, and I can sneak up on my friends very easily. All I'll need is a knife.  
"Cheer up" I said. She tried to smile but I knew she didn't believe me.  
She didn't look reassured, so I left and took a shower. The shower was superb, just press a button and a machine will hand you, soap, shampoo, body wash. And when you exit, you are blow-dried dry. That evening a found a suit and dress pants laid on my bed. A note was on the table saying, "Master Lamb, we invite you to dinner at table b-12. Signed Justin Hall"  
I then proceeded to the table, and sat down. A young man was already sitting there with Savannah.  
A waitress came to the table, and she pointed to the back of her mouth.  
"What does she want?" I say "can't she speak."  
"No Caleb she can't." replied the man. "She wants to know what we want to drink."  
"Oh, why not" asked Savannah.  
"It's the government's way to punish those who are against the Capital. Avox can't speak because the government cuts out their tongue." My appetite fled like a deer. She brought us wine. I drank it, but it made my head feel all-light. We talked until the main course. Then he told us, he was going to mentor us.  
"Mentor us!" I exclaimed.  
"Yes that is right young man." He replied. "My name is Justin."  
"So when do we get to practice." I enthusiastically said.  
"Two days." Justin replied.  
"Darn it!" I cried.  
We ate a mutton, Swiss, and mushroom soup.  
Afterwards we said our farewells to Justin. And we when back to our Living quarters.  
The next mourning I awoke in a large golden city with other shiny colors. Justin was in my room going thru my chest, pulling clothes into a plastic bag.  
"Hey, what are you doing in my room!?" I exclaimed.  
"Oh, I was packing your stuff; your friend said you would probably sleep late." Justin replied.  
"Oh, well get out." I snapped  
Then he left, I got dressed and he led me out of the train.

The tributes had their own hotel complex, and each floor is for a district. For example, floor 8 was for district 8 tributes. Savannah and I had a decent entrance, not enthralling but all right. We went to the dining hall, and we were served steamed cabbage, baby carrots, and buttery baked flounder with a baked potato and for dessert chocolate ice cream.  
My suite had a king size bed, pillows the size of a bookshelf, and massive blankets filled with goose down. I asked Savannah if she wanted to go up to the roof, and she agreed.  
On the roof their was a giant garden filled with wind chimes. We talked about our rooms and our supper, but we got on the grim subject of the Hunger games.  
"Caleb," said Savannah  
"Yes," I replied distracted by a small stone Gnome.  
"What weapon should I use in the game?"  
"A Javelin or a bow, so you can stand out of most of the gory stuff." When I said gory, I think I spooked myself; it could be my gore she needs to stay away from.  
"But wouldn't I need to retrieve my spear or arrows."  
Hmm. She had me their. "Yes, listen your main concern should be on staying alive."  
"Yeah, but-"she interrupted.  
"No buts, just do it. You will not need to kill me. Don't think of it as murder, but a way to see your family again."  
Walked a little more but in silence, and then went to get some sleep. But I could not sleep, so I tossed and turn restlessly.  
The next mourning Justin was calling me thru the door. So I sat up and put on some breeches and a light t-shirt. Today was the first training day, so we ate and when to the training room.  
The training room was a large open room, with people at different training stations. Justin told us at breakfast not to use your best skills here, in fact use your worse, because it would be a good strategy, so the other wouldn't know we are a threat.  
Me and Savannah when to the shelter-making, and human traps first. We learn the with a stout rope we can make a snare that could hang a person upside down, so you could cut their throat. We also learned basic lean-to and snow cave shelters.  
At lunch we were served a turkey sandwich and coleslaw. Then after lunch we decided to train separately. At the sword training booth, no matter where I chopped, lunged, slashed, or sliced I could not land a blow. All the other tributes laugh at me. Enraged by my embarrassment I attack the trainer in a flurry of attacks.  
"Very good" said the trainer. "Your rage is the key to your attacks."  
I walked away to the medical training and learn about medicinal herbs. They also taught me what plants are edible and toxic.  
Afterwards it was time to go back to the hotel. At the hotel I met Justin and Savannah. We then to dinner and talked.  
"So how did it go today" he asked us.  
"Great" we replied in unison.  
"Awesome," he said shaking our hands to congratulate us.  
We had a merry time until he said "How do you think, your going to perform in the arena. We didn't reply, but looked grimly at him. "Oh, so that's what you think."  
"It's a death sentence," Savannah said, "it's unfair, why I and Caleb both can't win."  
"Listen, the rules are rules, and the rules are clearly state can't be two winners."  
"Well that sucks." I said angered at Justin's uncaring remark.  
"I know-"  
"No you don't. You don't care about me or Savannah." I said storming of to my room.  
I angrily took a shower regretting what I had said.  
The next day I when to eat breakfast when, I met Justin. "I'm sorry for what I said, Justin"  
"It's alright" he replied.  
I ate my breakfast, then when to the training room. Their I saw Savannah at bow training. What was she thinking, hadn't Justin told us not to use our strong suits yet.  
"What are you doing?" I said frustrated.  
"I don't care what Justin says any more, after last night."  
"What! He Is Our Life-line!"  
"No he isn't."  
"I'm sorry it's just I'm stressed out. But seriously stop."  
We trained but not at archery, just things we were where what horrid at.

The next mourning I woke up in a puddle of sweat, I think probably be cause I'm nervous about the private training with the game makers to see my ranking number.  
The training room was filled with game makers, they told you to go to the waiting room, and wait for your name to be called.  
The list dragged on, and on. Finally it was my turn to be called. I eagerly walk up to a large floor with different terrain, a grassy lawn with dry leaves, a set of set of training dummies, and a sword. "On the count of three, you'll pick up the sword and dispatch the dummies, on, two, three." The referee said.  
The buzzer rang and I was dismissed. I when back up to my room taking a shower. Hours later, Justin brought me a dark coat with another note, saying, Mr. Caleb be at the lobby at 6:15 PM this evening.  
So at 6:05 I put on the coat and go down to the lobby. Justin met me with Savannah and we went to a limousine and got in the back. After 30 minutes of riding we go into a tall building. Inside the building a man handed me a beeper. He told me went it beeped, I was to go through the giant doors at the lobby of the building.  
I sat down on a couch and Justin told me they were going to interview us. He said "Caleb, try to get as many sponsors as you can, be funny, laugh and talk a lot." I nodded.  
After 27 minutes of wait in my beeper beeped a proceeded through the big doors. I had walked out onto a stage on live TV. Then I saw, Caesar Flickerman, the games interviewer. "Hello, Mr. Caleb."  
I just grunted and nodded at him.  
"So Mr. Caleb what is it like to travel hundreds of miles from home to enter a battle when the odds are against you and do you think you'll see your family and friends again."  
"Well Caesar, I wouldn't expect you to understand. You see I was taken to a place to fight to the death on live TV with no commercial interruptions. I'll tell you how feel. I feel sorry for those who ever crosses my path, in the games of course."  
"How do you feel about having to kill a member of your own district?"  
I felt like ripping this guy's heart out and shoving it down his throat but I calmly said. "I feel horrible, especially since we're good friends.  
"Well we are out of time, may the odds be with you, next."  
I walked off stage to meet back with Justin and Savannah. Then they said something that made me feel better.  
"You scored a seven today at your training."  
"Great, what did you make, Savannah?" I asked curiously.  
"A six."  
"That's wonderful."  
"Caleb, tonight we go to the arena." Justin said.  
"Oh, ok let's go." I said. We changed into some light-weight clothes back at the hotel, and left for the arena. I fell asleep in the back of the car, and didn't wake up in till the mourning in a cot.  
I was underground I could tell because of the earthy smells. A lady in a white coat entered the steel door and walk over to me. She stabbed a small metal thing into my skin. "Ah!" I exclaimed, as the little thing was buried in my flesh.  
"Mr. Lamb that was a tracing device so we will know where you are at all times. It's time for you appearance at the arena."  
I got on the elevator that brought me to the arena. I could see the cornucopia gleaming in the sunlight. I moved to the platform, that was surrounded my mines. The mines would activate after I stood on the platform. I heard a beep meaning that the mines were enabled. The I saw Savannah four platforms to my left mine.  
Every pore in my body vibrated, butterflies fluttered in my stomach. A sweat broke over me. Cold shivers ran down my spine. Goose-bumps covered my body. Then it felt as time itself was frozen. Blood roared in my ears. The only reason I knew the mines were disabled, was because all the other kids scrambled to the cornucopia to find weapons. The closer you are to the cornucopia the better the objects you can find. Then I plummeted down to the earth. About ten yards from the metal horn I grabbed a canteen, roll daggers, and a bedroll. Then I saw Savannah fleeing into the woods. Good, I thought she's alive. I heard two or three cannons go off. A cannon's blast meant someone was killed.  
Then I took off after Savannah.

Chapter 1 The forest.  
After I'm deep in the woods I stop and rest. I saw were the forest floor had been disturbed. I followed the trail until I saw Savannah walking away from me. So I dropped into a stalker's crouch, and snuck up silently behind her. When I was close enough I wrapped my right arm around her neck, and placed my knife blade up to her neck. Then I paused for a moment. "Go ahead slit my throat, but please make it quick. I want to pass with as little pain as possible." She said in a whisper.  
I knew what the Capitol was thinking, "Yes, go on Caleb. Give us a show."  
"You know I could never hurt you." I said releasing my grip. "Pretty stealthy, don't you think." I said chucking.  
"Caleb!" She said stunned.  
"Yes, and if your not more careful your blood would be spilled all over the ground. You, fighting for your next breath." I said more seriously. "Remember we never know when we are going to be slaughtered."  
She nodded angrily and sat down shaking. I knew what was happening, she was going into shock. I wrapped my sleeping bag around her, and told her to stay here. I gave her I large knife to defend herself.  
I when of to set some snares, for my fellow competitors. After twenty minutes I had counted total four cannons had be fired. That's when I heard the bracken undergrowth being crushed. I scaled a nearby tree, I saw a red-headed girl had been walking in my direction.  
She walked right into my trap. The trap snared her leg and hauled her right up into the air. Then I leaped out of the tree walking to her. "Let me go!" her howled furiously at me. She had dropped a piece of rope and a mesh net, so I picked them up and bound her arms. I couldn't bring myself to kill her. She was so scared and angry. I thought of her home, she was about fifteen, she probably had parents that are crying in each others arms. Friends watching her struggle haplessly in the trap. I untied the snare and while I reset it, she just sat on the ground motionless. After the snare was reset I said to her "Well come on" waving my arm to show her were the camp was.  
After I made it back, Savannah had already forging for food. Savannah was tending a small fire, with a little roof over it so maybe the smoke would fade. "Savannah!" I called softly.  
"What."  
"Look what I caught for dinner." I said jokingly "She doesn't have a lot of meat, but she'll do." I told her to sit under a tree, and then I tied her to it. I knew it was barbaric, but what else could I do.  
"Savannah search her, for useful items." I would have felt awkward digging though a girls clothes. So I walked off so she might feel more comfortable. I scouted a area northwest of our location. Then two cannons when off at almost the same time.  
I thought it could be Red and Savannah. So I dash off back towards camp. I ran to a bayou that meant I had missed camp. Had a band of Careers saw the smoke and massacred them. "No." I said softly to myself, they could not. The I thought why I cared so much for Red. Then I saw a light trail of smoke. My heart leaped with joy, I knew where camp was.  
I ran as fast as I could to the smoke. About fifty yard ahead I saw them "What did you find." I asked.  
"A bedroll," relived I didn't have to give mine to Savannah. "Flint, pocket knife, medical kit, extra clothes, and these I was hoping you know was they are good for." She said handing me a pair of sunglasses. "They don't block out the sun.  
"Beats me, did she talk any." I asked.  
"She said she would only talk to you."  
"Ok. So where are you from." I said curiously.  
"Dis-district seven, but-" she started.  
"Do you know Tyler Hall."  
"Yes, he's my boyfriend. Why does it matter?" She said slightly to the side.  
I gasped. "What-!" Then I remembered I was on live TV. "He's my best friend." I whispered, covering my mouth.  
"So your are Caleb." She said, mimicking my whisper.

Chapter 2 The cold day.  
Back in district 8, Shelby, Joshua, Will, Sierra, and hurried back into Will's house, carrying a large wagon filled with a large crate. It was raining. They brought the crate inside, opening it. Inside was Tyler.  
"It's hot in there." He snapped.  
"Try hauling you in the cold rain." Will joked.  
"Just turn on the TV." Sierra said. Will's family had the biggest TV of them all.  
The camera was focused on Caleb, holding a wicked looking knife. The camera then was facing Savannah, but you could see Caleb in the background. He was approaching fast, and silently.  
"What does he think he's doing." Sierra said, perplexed.  
"He's going to kill her isn't he." .  
"Yes" Will replied.  
At that time Shelby said "I knew she would never make it but I didn't think the end would be this quick. And what is Caleb thinking their best friends."  
"He probably went psycho, remember last year the guy that had eaten the hearts of his victims." Tyler said calmly. Him and Savannah never saw eye to eye. Sierra then crawled into Shelby's lap, balling. Then Caleb wrapped his right arm around Savannah's neck, and with his left arm he pulled up the Damascus knife blade up to her neck.  
"I can't believe it." Said Shelby. All eyes were glued to the TV.  
"Go ahead slit my throat, but please make it quick. I want to pass with as little pain as possible." Savannah said, bravely as if she was looking death in the eye.  
"You know I could never hurt you." Caleb said, releasing his grip on her throat. "Pretty stealthy, don't you think."  
"Caleb?!" said Savannah  
"Yes, and if your not more careful your blood would me spilled all over the ground."  
Then the crew sighed and talk happily. Then it showed a brutal boy name Blaine, pick up a fourteen year old boy, and tossed him into a rock, breaking his back. The cannon fired and they felt a cold shiver enter the room.  
"And Savannah and Caleb are in the arena with that monster." Joshua said hotly.  
Then the camera focused on Caleb making a man-trap. A leg snare that hoisted the victim up unto the air.  
The camera move to a red haired girl. "It's my Kajii" Tyler shouted.  
"Who?" asked Joshua.  
"My girlfriend. She's a great archer, together we've killed a thousand rabbits." At that time she was turned upside down, caught it Caleb's trap.  
"NO!" Tyler shouted. "Caleb doesn't know her. He'll kill her for sure." Caleb leaped out a tree, knife in hand.  
"It's the end for her, Tyler" Will said not empathetically.  
Tyler held his breath hoping for the best. Then Caleb tied her hand, and untied her feet.  
"Thank you Caleb." Tyler said under his breath.

Boyfriend! Out of all the things her boyfriend is my Tyler. I didn't know Tyler had a girlfriend.  
"Well" I said. "You can join us or leave."  
"You can't join." She said confused.  
"Well can you join others."  
"Of course, careers do it all the time."  
"Well all right." She said in a morose voice.  
Savannah walked over to me and said, in a whisper, "We can't trust her, she's a girl trying to make it back to her love."  
I thought she's right.  
"She's pretending to be a sweet girl, but I can tell, she's nothing but trouble. She had her fingers crossed." Savannah said in a stern whisper.  
"Are you sure."  
"What don't you trust me."  
"Yes, but-"  
"I knew you didn't care about my feelings."  
"That's not it at all." I shouted at her.  
"Don't you see she's making you act like this. She's stab us in our sleep."  
"You're right." I admitted. "But what can we do now, I asked her to join. I know well give her some poisonous berries." She looked puzzled. "Remember from toxic plants, I saw a bush at the bayou."  
"Ok." she replied.  
"All right your in," I said timidly. "And I'm going to get some berries for supper."  
"Alright." She replied.  
I ran to the bayou, silently but quickly. I made it to the bush. I searched for the berries. I found a cluster of the evil bundle of berries. I placed them in my pockets. When my pockets were full with the vile bounty. I ran back to the camp. When I made it back, Savannah and Red were talking peacefully.  
"I got the grub" I said cheerfully. "Their you go." I said handing Red a handful of the berries. "Eat it up we need our strength."  
"Thank you so much, Caleb, you so sweet." She said in a merry voice.  
I handed the berries to Savannah, nodding slightly, her eyes wide with fright as I gave her the fruit. Then I saw Red put a mouthful of berries in her mouth. After she had swallowed, her pupils began to dilate.  
"What type of berries are these." Red asked frightened.  
"I-I don't remember exactly." I replied calmly.  
Red said "My throat's dry, and my skin is hot. Those were the berries of the belladonna. Don't eat yours! You'll die the poison is quick and almost impossible to cure." She passed out and her breathing started to speed up. After several minutes, her breathing stopped, and a cannon fired.  
"We had to do it Caleb." Savannah said trying to reassure me.  
"She was my first kill." I said "It'll get easier now. I don't care about blood or their family, except yours Savannah. I promise nothing will ever hurt you." I grabbed her hand and we sat for what felt like hours. Then I kicked dirt over the fire, and went to sleep.  
The next mourning we pack up our belongings and left.  
"Wait, Caleb I'll go get Reds' clothes." Said Savannah, she ran back and returned in ten minutes.  
We walked to a stream at the base of a rocky hill, refilled our canteens and walk up the hill. We trudged halfway to the top and sat down for a break. I gave Savannah my boot knife and said, "Here, take this knife, use it when I'm not here to protect you."  
"Thank you." She said softly. Then we heard rocks falling from above us. Then I saw a large boy coming towards her and I. We to of running down hill as fast as I could. I dare didn't look back to see were he was, but I could hear he's panting breath. My legs were going faster than I was so I tripped and busted my knee. I glanced up ad my pursuer and was it was Blaine the behemoth boy from district 3. He raised a war hammer high to smash my head, and he said "Don't worry what ever happens to you, the girl gets it worse."  
Then a knife came out of nowhere, striking him in the face with the pommel. He swore, dropped the hammer and ran cursing at the sky.  
Then I saw Savannah asking " Are you ok."  
"I'm fine," I said patting the dust off of my pants. "I'm glad I gave you the knife. Or I'd be gone.". I grabbed the hammer  
"Lets stay away from the hill, he's probably got a lair up their." She said patting my sleeve. "Now let's go back down."  
We walked for an hour, but I had to use Savannah for a crutch. At the bottom we walk back into the woods away from were we had made camp before. The woods were like the ones back home, oaks, pine, beech, and gum. We made it to a pond when we stopped. She pulled up my pants leg to expose my wound.  
"Its not to bad" She said. "Its not broken, just scraped." She cut off a piece of her sleeve and wrapped it around my knee. "It might get a infection if we're not careful. The bleeding has stopped."  
"Good." I replied. "It should be better tomorrow."  
"Yes. I'll go get some firewood."  
"No, don't go, not now. It's to early." I said softy. Some thing crackled in the woods. "I'll check it out." I said trying to impress her with my bravery.  
"No, wait."  
"Yes, I'll go check it out." I got to my feet, and walked off to the direction of the noise. I walked for several minutes, but I heard a scream. Savannah! The I heard the snarls of dogs. Were wolfs attacking her, practical defenseless.  
I hobbled back to find wolves all over, and they weren't just your basic wolf either, but mutated wolfs released by the Game makers. They were four feet at the shoulder, with long black fur, and a nasty mouth full of teeth. Bred for one purpose, to slaughter. Savannah had her back to a tree. Her knife was drawn on the wolves. But they had started to attack.  
I charged into the fray bashing in a wolf's head, the animal it dropped instantly. Then the wolves, stopped attacking the prey, and turned on the predator, Me. Luckily the wolves were so excited, they also attacked each other. I fought for a minute or so and my leg was screaming in pain. The skin had broken again so it started to bleed. Fueled by their love for fresh human blood they diverted their attention to me. Then I tried to scramble up a tree. Luckily only one nipped my leg. I climbed up forty feet up and then I saw Savannah in another tree.  
"Are you alright." I asked concerned.  
"Fine, you."  
"Never better." I said in my normal humorous voice. "They should get bored in a bit."  
So we waited until the wolves left, and dusk was falling. Then I noticed I was starving, "Are you hungry."  
She nodded and we climbed down. We foraged for until it was twilight and made a camp. At camp we heard the national anthem played and the faces of the fallen appear holographic in the night's sky. We saw ten faces total. I couldn't believe the kids from district twelve made it this far. I then covered my head in my sleeping bag and slowly fell asleep.  
I woke at the sound of birds singing in the trees. I couldn't see the sun, but I knew it was on its way. Their's nothing like waking up knowing it's the end of all you know. We all just victims of a crime. I kept telling myself I might make it, I knew only one can win. And I couldn't kill Savannah. I stared at her until she woke up. We ate leftovers and we of.  
"We need to be on the offensive this time." I said. "Their's fourteen of us."  
"Caleb, nothing last's forever, our luck will change, and you know that." She said darkly.  
"No, our luck will remain. It's murder, or be murdered out here. And I will not go down without a fight. "  
We walked until we came across a boy tending a small fire. I snuck up behind, unsheathed my Damascus knife, and buried the blade in his back, going though his heart. He coughed and said, "Dang it, and I was doing so well too." He went limp and a cannon when off. I pulled my knife out of him and cleaned it of the blood. I waved my arm and Savannah ran up to me. We raided the camp, taking the useful items. He had a sword. Some jerky. A bottle of water. And some bread.  
"Was it quick." Savannah asked as we walked away from the body.  
"Yes." I was a killer for sure. Stabbing him in the back. But some reason I didn't feel guilty. I told myself it was because I had to. I was for my own protection. But then I thought of his family. They wanted me dead. They probably wanted me to see Savannah die a torturous death. Then be dealt with the same way. I felt guilty but I know it was necessary.  
"You know I had to do it don't you." I asked Savannah sadly.  
"Yes, but I never thought you would do it."  
Those word stabbed at me like a sword.  
"Caleb," she continued "As you said it's kill or be killed."  
We stood there in silence except the bird singing in the wood. Then I heard a noise in the woods, a deer ran towards us.  
"Get down!" I commanded. Then I saw the career pack purse the animal. The careers are the tributes from districts one, two, four. They are highly trained in the fighting arts.  
We sat until we hear them the noise disappear.  
"That was close." Savannah said.  
"To close." I replied. We then backtracked and we came across a large footprint in a puddle "Blaine." I said.  
"The boy up on the hill?" Savannah asked.  
"Yep, he's been following us. We should walk barefoot. We'd be harder to track." We removed our shoes and walked to the left, opposite of the hill, until we made it to a lake. The lake was like something out of a storybook. Crystal blue water reflecting the sun. I peered at my reflection. I looked horrible my face smeared with dirt, and specks of blood. My hair was a tangled mess. It blonde sheen had been replaced by a greasy rat's nest. I washed my face and jumped in the water.  
The cool refreshing water revitalized my hope. I knew I could make it. I pulled of my shirt and washed my torso. I saw Savannah using a clump of moss to wash her face.  
I climbed out and said to her, "Go ahead, I'll leave while you wash off. I'll be back in a half hour." I walked up a dried streambed. I found some wild onions, and some potatoes. Wild strawberries were growing at a little meadow full of flowers. When I die I'd like to die here. I noticed that the half hour was gone. So I ran back to the lake to find Savannah sitting by the lake.  
"Sorry I'm late. I found some food." I said.  
"No problem." We ate until we were full. I stretched out on the grassy lakebed and fell asleep.

Chapter 3 Rebellion.  
"I can't just sit here and watch them die." Will said angrily. "We have to do something."  
"Will, what can we do." Shelby said. "Rebel." He joked.  
"Better than watching them die."  
"But, it would be useless. Remember what happened to district 13, they were destroyed."  
"I don't need a history lesson." Will snapped. "Their must be something we can do."  
"Will, they're down to ten contestants. Caleb or Savannah might make it."  
"Yes, but only one."  
Then a dark aurora fell on the room. Will looked infuriated at the TV with the commentators talking about the winners and the bets on the tributes.  
"We could rebel." Sierra said bravely.  
"Sierra, we couldn't let you in even if we rebelled. Your to young, you'd get killed." Shelby said sternly.  
"So you're going to die, why not me. I'd be alone."  
"Sierra, stop pretending that your brave." Shelby said, in a aggressive tone. "It's not like we're going to fight any way, plus who would led it."  
"Will, would of course."  
"Will, why Will." Shelby asked.  
"Yes, why me." Will asked in calm tone.  
"He's the oldest, and he's probably the best fighter."  
"All in favor of Will being the leader of the possible rebellion say Aye." Joshua said. Everyone said Aye, with out hesitation, except Shelby, who paused and then softly said Aye.  
"Well then it's settled Will is the leader of the rebellion." Sierra said proudly.  
"What rebellion?" Becca asked as she entered the room. (Becca was Will's young sister.)  
"The one Will's leading." Joshua replied. Then Will was bombarded by questions.

I woke frightened, it was dark and I had no recollection of this place. I was in a lean-to shelter. Savannah came in the makeshift door, carrying two rabbits.  
"Good your up, clean these, While I refill our water supply."  
"All right." I exited the shelter and started to dress the game. Our lean-to was practical invisible to the outside world. Then I saw a figure in the corner of my eye. A shadow against the moon light. I dropped into my crouch and begin my manhunt. I followed the shadow into a mock orange thicket. I crawled after the shadow as if it was prey.  
The thicket finally opened up to a small clearing, with wall of the thorns. I saw a torch light up, and saw the shadow was the twelve year old twins. The girl was leaning over a makeshift cot. In the cot lie a boy, her brother.  
"You have to eat." She pleaded, handing him a handful of persimmons. He jerked his head back.  
"Please. Please." She sobbed. She pulled back his sleeve to revile a slash that ran from his shoulder down to his hand.  
Poor kid, I thought. Then I saw a bow and a quiver full of arrows. If I could only get that bow. My curiosity got the best of me and I snuck up to the bow and arrows. I snatched them and took of back to camp.  
When I made it to camp I noticed a layer of frost covered every thing. Then Savannah questioned, "Were have you been!? I've been worried sick, I thought you were dead."  
"No! And I have a present for you." I said, showing her the bow.  
"Where'd did you get it." She said, all anger fled from her voice.  
"Oh, I have my sources. Ok, I snatched it, from a tribute. I just grabbed it and ran."  
"I cooked the rabbits with some onions, and the potatoes."  
"Great, I'm starving."  
We ate until their was no more. We when back to the lean-to, and got in our sleeping bags.  
I when I woke up the sun was high in the sky. I noticed that Savannah was already up, I felt were she was lying and it was cool. So she has been up a while, I thought to myself. I started to eat some more jerky and started to dismantle the lean-to. After a hour I saw Savannah come back with a turkey. "Nice." I said running up to her.  
"Caleb,"  
"Yeah." I said admiring the bird.  
"I saw Blaine, he was watching me. He didn't know I saw him, I think. Caleb this is when people will die. "  
"We'll climb then."  
"Where,"  
"I saw a mountain about a mile from the Cornucopia."  
"The only problem is we don't know where that is."  
"Then I'll fight," I said pulling my sword. "Come on out Blaine, come out and play!" I shouted. "I know you can hear me. Come on and fight." Enraged I started to taunt him. "Blainey, Blainey the big baby. Come on, you what to take me on."  
Savannah grabbed my arm, and said "Caleb, calm down."  
"No! I'm tiered of being hunted like a animal."  
At that time, Blaine came from nowhere and, bulldogged Savannah. "Come on Blaine fight me." I said. He had Savannah pinned down, she struggled under his weight.  
I couldn't take it any longer, I charged him, slashing my sword into his side. He jumped up and drew his axe and said, "Fine, I'll take care of you first." His eyes had a supernatural glow, and his blood veins bulged. Savannah started to get up.  
"Run, Savannah, run." I called.  
"Aw, your little girlfriend doesn't care enough to stay and help. Well I have one thing to say, this is going to hurt."  
He swung his axe, and I jumped back enough to dodge his blow. We exchanged blows, until he landed one on my side. It wasn't deep, but I was losing to much blood. I fell, and he raised his axe to decapitate me. Then a splotch of blood fell on my forehead. His mouth was agape with blood steaming out. "No way," he said placing his hand on a blade that protruded thought his chest cavity. He fell on his knees, then his face, but he was breathing slightly. I then saw Savannah pull the sword out of his back when a cannon fired. She leaned down and looked at my wound. I saw a little canister suspended by a parachute.  
"What's that," I said weakly.  
She grabbed it and said, "Bandages, and hydrogen-peroxide." She dumped a small amount of the cleanser in my wound, and tightly applied the bandage.  
A cold wild blew across the arena and I realized it was freezing. The game makers normal didn't have the arena this cold. They found it boring watching bunch of teenagers freeze to death. "It's freezing out here." She said rubbing her hands together.  
"It's still mourning, its should warm up a little. And we need some food." I said pulling out some jerky. We ate a few pieces of the beef, and I said, "We need to start moving. Someone probably heard Blaine."  
"Alright."  
So we walked until we came the career's stockpile. The pile contained every thing that wasn't taken from the cornucopia. We saw one guard, a girl sitting her head resting on her shoulder. "She's asleep." Savannah whispered.  
"Right, lets get a tent."  
"What are you crazy! We'd get caught."  
"I don't care. We'll freeze tonight."  
"Fine, I have your back."  
"Great."  
I snuck up to the to the mountain of items. The pile had, food, tents, clothes, water, and weapons. When I went to grab a tent, a roll of throwing knives caught my eye. I snatched the knives, and tied them around my waist. I then grabbed the tent. It was larger than a pup tent, and it was heavy. I strapped it on like a backpack, and walked back to Savannah. "At least we know where they keep their supplies." We left heading down a stream, for the entire day. At sunset we came to a moor, that stretched in all directions. "The wind will be much harder out their." Savannah said.  
"Yes, but we'll be safe. I doubt anyone would go out there."  
"Ok," She said, shield in her face, from a wind gust. We walked another mile, when Savannah said. "We need to stop."  
"Yes, if we don't set up camp soon we'll freeze."  
So we set up the tent, and crawled in. We sat up and ate before retiring.

Chapter 4 The First Kill.  
"Guys, I'm telling you this is a bad idea." Shelby said.  
"Shut up, Shelby." Sierra retorted.  
"You shut up, your going to die if you go with them."  
"No I won't."  
"Yes you will. Your to small, but if you want to die be my guest."  
"Stop, fighting." Joshua intervened. "No one is going to die, right, Will."  
"Right, we need a plan." Will said. "Joshua, you will supply us with weapons. Shelby make a battle strategy. I'll watch for updates on Savannah and Caleb."  
"Why do you get to sit here and watch TV." Shelby questioned aggressively.  
"Would you rather sit here, and watch your sister die."  
"No." Shelby sighed.  
"Their so stupid. Just sleeping in a moor, in the open." Will said. "They actually think they'll both make it."  
Two more days passed, and Caleb and Savannah still wandered the moor. The weather made a violent turn throwing a blizzard to the two contestants. They stayed inside the tent most of the time. To get water they would put snow in their water bottles, and melt the snow.  
"They're dying." Shelby said.  
"Yes, and thank you for that lovely comment." Will snapped.  
Joshua and Tyler sat in a corner sharpening weapons on a grindstone. Tyler had a gift for making swords and knives. Joshua make bows and arrows. "We're almost ready, for a assassination."  
"Good," Will said. "Are you sure you want to do this, Shelbs."  
"Yes, I don't agree with what your doing, but I'll do it for Savannah."  
"Ok. The first hit will be a peacekeeper. Tyler give me a knife." Tyler gave Will a knife.  
"Ok, so the plan is to go to a area where there are only a few peacekeepers, then when I give the signal, we'll attack simultaneously."  
"What's the signal." Tyler asked.  
"I'll bend over to tie my shoe, and when I stand back up, count five seconds, then end it. Scatter and we'll meet at the tree blind in the forest, but don't led anyone back to the tree. Got it." Everyone nodded. "Good now put these on." He said, giving them a cowl and sunglasses.  
They walked over to a small street, that had five peacekeepers amid a crowd. Everyone slowly walked behind a peacekeeper, placing their hand on their scabbard. Will bent over, and tied his shoe. He stood, and counted softly, "One, two, three, four, five." He unsheathed his knife and cut the soldier's throat. The man made a wet gurgle and fell. Will then took off running, and he saw several bodies fall.  
He ran as fast as he could, Joshua was running behind him. After a minute, or so, he glanced behind his should, and he noticed he wasn't being pursued. They ran to the fence and stopped.  
"Did you get your Joshua."  
"Yeah."  
They waited for three minutes, and no one came. "Maybe they crossed somewhere else."  
"Maybe." They crossed under the fence, and walked to the blind, where Tyler was waiting.  
"Where have you guys been." Tyler asked.  
"We waited by the fence."  
"But didn't you say we were to meet my the blind."  
"Yes, did you see the others."  
"I saw Sierra climb a building to escape. And Shelby disappear into a crowd."  
"I'm sure they're alright." Joshua said cheerful.  
"There's Shelby." Tyler pointed to the lean boy.  
"Shelby, where's Sierra." He shrugged panting.  
"I not know." Shelby sighed.  
"We have to find her." At that time a small framed girl walked out into the forest blood dripping off her face. Her clothes were also soaked in the red liquid. "I'm I late," She joked. "Sorry I was, delayed."  
"Are you all right." Shelby asked concerned.  
"Never better. They had me cornered, so I fought my out."  
"So that's their blood."  
"Yes, now can we go home. I need a bath."  
"Yes, you can walk though district 8 soaked in blood. there is a stream that you can wash you clothes in." Shelby said pointing to a little creek." So Sierra plunged in leaving streaks of blood in the water. When she scrambled out most of the blood had came off, but small streaks were left in her hair. Then they headed back to the town.  
Back in Will's house, they sat around the TV. Nothing of interest was happening. Then Becca walked in the living room, "You guys look awful, what have you been doing."  
"That's not any of your business." Will replied.  
"C'mon tell me I can keep a secret."  
"No, you can't."  
"I can to. Please I promise I won't tell."  
"Fine, we killed some peacekeepers."  
"Really!" She exclaimed. "Did they know it was you. Did any escape."  
"Not that we know of."  
"Can I join, please. I'll follow your orders."  
"Yes." He sighed. "But you know you'll die."  
"Psh, yeah right." She said, rolling her eyes.  
"You'll never make it." Will said under his breath.

Chapter 5 The Break.

The sun's warm rays woke me up. The blizzard is over. Good now we can travel. "Wake up, we have a long way to go." I said, lightly tugging on her shoulder.  
"Nuh." She groaned.  
"The blizzard is over. We need to move."  
"No, Caleb, your hallucinating. Just lie down and die like me."  
"No, just look outside." After several minuets of coaxing, she finally crawled outside.  
"It's true, we made it. We did it, Caleb."  
"No, not yet but we are closer. And I see the end of the moor."  
"Finally, we get a break. No one would ever travel this far."  
I though well their were three people we had no idea where they were. But I didn't say anything. Then we walked to the forest that bordered the moor, we continued walking until we came upon a boy walking away from us. He was about forty yards ahead when I said, "Savannah, take him." I whispered  
"What, you kill him."  
"You have to, you've not kill any one."  
"Yes I did, Blaine."  
"He doesn't count. It was impromptu."  
"But I did kill him."  
"He wasn't human, the game makers altered him."  
"But that boy is human."  
"Savannah, you have to."  
"Yeah, but. Fine, have it your way."  
"It's not like that. I tried of killing, it's your turn."  
She glared at me and knocked the arrow, pulled back the string, aimed and released the string. The arrow whizzed though the air, until it buried itself into the boy's lower back with a thud. He fell over, and we ran up to him. His breaths were shallow, but he said, "Protect her. Protect Ashton. Tell her that I'm sorry. And that I…" His eyes lost their gleam, a cannon blew off, and I knew he had died.  
"What do you think he meant by that." Savannah asked me.  
"I don't know." I replied. "Let's grab his gear." I said, rummaging through the fallen boy's belongings.  
After ten minutes of searching acquired his, canteen, some sort of cooked meat, a shield, clothes that would fit me, and his token, a small necklace that had District 6 carved into it.  
District 6, that's were that hot girl was from I saw on the Reaping recap on the train, I thought to myself, Ashton must be that girl.  
"I know who Ashton is."  
"Really, how," Savannah said curiously.  
"Remember that girl from District 6."  
"No," She replied.  
"The one with the long blonde hair," I said.  
"No, I don't remember."  
"Anyway, she must be his girlfriend, or something."  
"Was she the one you stared at, and you were practically drooling." She said joking.  
"No! Maybe, yeah," I replied.  
She laughed, "Well that's really bad for you."  
"Why?"  
"You can't kill a girl you find attractive."  
"Maybe so, but you can."  
"Forget it, let's get going."

Tyler sat in a corner sharpening weapons. Will's younger brother, Nathan, was working on building a fire. Joshua was fletching arrows. The tranquil room was only interrupted by the noise of rock and metal. The television was only showing a highlight reel. It had been three day since the, Red day, claimed Panem, and the peacekeepers were starting to calm down.  
"Guys, we need another attack." Shelby said. "We need to strike fear into the hearts of the government."  
"Ok, where at." Will asked.  
"Somewhere were there are more peacekeepers." Tyler said.  
"Somewhere in the main city." Will said.  
"How about the market." Sierra asked.  
"Sure," Will said. "But today we're going to bring a sword also. Joshua will be stationed on a building sniping off peacekeepers, while we are stealthily killing guards, understand." They all nodded, and were off.  
"Becca," Will said to his sister. "If things get to tough, get out."  
"Ok," she replied. They took off to the market, Joshua got into position, readying his bow. Tyler walked up behind a peacekeeper drawing his knife. Sierra pull out a ball and chain mace. Will was ready to cross draw his swords. Shelby placed his hands on his throwing knives. Becca readied her poison darts, and Nathan pulled out his throwing hatchets. Then Joshua released the string of his bow, the arrow hitting home in a peacekeepers face.  
"NOW!" Will exclaimed, unsheathing both of his swords. Tyler wrapped his arm around a peacekeepers neck, and when the guard opened his mouth to scream, Tyler drove the knife down into the helpless guard's throat. Joshua continued raining arrows into the fray. Becca flung her darts into the necks and faces of the peacekeepers coming her way. Will swung one sword under the neck of a guard neck, while the other chopped down from the back, decapitating the man. Sierra swung her mace into the torso of the peacekeepers. Nathan hacked at the limbs of the guards so he could then finish them off.  
They fought for five or ten minutes, but the peacekeepers just kept coming. "Guys, flee, get out, now!" Will shouted as loud as he could.  
Becca escaped with no problem, Joshua ran as fast as he could, Sierra dodged the guards by running through a alley. The others disappeared as fast as they had came.

Chapter 6 Another way to kill  
The sun shone brightly upon the tent. I slept like a rock the entire night, so I had a vigorous feeling surging through my body. I jerked myself up out of bed, and noticed that Savannah was gone. I really didn't care, so I started to disassemble the tent placing it buck into the bag it came in.  
After I finished dismantling the tent, I heard my stomach growling at me. So I went over to were I had left the back pack that carried the food, and saw that it was gone. Savannah, must have taken it when she left this mourning, I thought to myself.  
I sat near the camp in a tree, watching for Savannah, when a group of turkeys came out. It made me even more depressed thinking about the nice plump meat on the turkeys. Then I heard a thick thud as a arrow flew into one of the birds. The other birds franticly flew off in random directions. After all the bird had left, a beautiful blonde-hair girl walk out to retrieve the turkey. She was carrying a bow in her right hand, with the arrows neatly tucked into a leather quiver on her back. I recognized the bow immediately, it was a bow painted white with eagle designs on both ends, it was, Savannah's bow.  
My heart skipped a beat, and the world started to spin. She's gone, I thought to myself, She's really gone, never to be seen, or heard from again. I thought of the body sent home only in a plain wooden box, with a note tied to it saying, We're most sorry, but the odds were not in her favor. Savannah Spears District 8. Then rage kindled into my soul and my heart was fix on one thing, to serve justice to Savannah's killers. I leaped out of the tree, and unloaded the net that I had taken off of Red. I virtually silently walk into throwing range and flung the net onto her, entangling her.  
"Well, well, what do I have here." I laughed cruelly. "That's a nice bow you have there, would you mind if I could borrow it."  
"What do you want." She asked helplessly.  
"I want to know where you obtained that bow," I said infuriated. "Did you kill her? Was it fast, and painless, or did you give Panem a show."  
"No, I… She dropped it."  
"Oh, and the arrows just magically flew off her back." I taunted.  
"No, these are my arrows. I, I saw her hunting in the forest, and I attacked her, I cut her right arm pretty deep, but she escaped. She dropped the bow when I sliced her arm." She said sincerely.  
I could tell she was telling the truth, but I didn't like the though off Savannah out in the woods all alone. I knew she normally would be fine, but she's hurt. And I disliked that though, then part of me said, She hurt Savannah, she probably out there lying down, her blood spilling over the landscape, maybe even flowing into a stream, making the water filled with red streaks. And this girl did it, she must be punished.  
But then another part said to me, Savannah will be all right she's tough. And the cut on she arm isn't that bad. In fact Ashton is just like the rest of us, just trying to make it back home to her family.  
"Do you have a family, Ashton?" I asked.  
"Y-yes," She said starting to cry lightly. "My mother, two brothers and three sisters. I'm the second oldest, wait how did you know my name?" She questioned.  
"I met you friend from your district. He mentioned you, he said, he's sorry. I don't know what that meant, but he told me to tell you."  
"We're buddies, back home, but in the arena the tension between us became to great and it broke you into a fight between us. He left, and I regretted it since. Do you know were he is now." She asked innocently.  
"He's gone to rest." I said full of sorrow. " I'm sorry, I found him, after a run-in with a bear. The bear fled when Savannah, and I showed up, and he was to far gone." I felted awful, lying to her face like that, but it was necessary.  
She really started to cry then. She sobbed, "Well, are you going to finish me, or not."  
"I really don't know," I said thinking about her family. "I just can't kill you in that net in front of your family. I guess I'll let you go." I said.  
"Really! Thank you, thank you so much." I pulled out my sword and sliced the net open.  
"There you go, free." I said, pausing and then I walked away.  
I started to walk in the direction that Ashton came from, and followed a small trail. I thought, Sure she'll be on this trail. Or some where nearby. I walked for a day, and hope was fleeting quickly.  
On the next day the trail lead on and on until I found the pile of supplies the careers had hoarded. A circle! We walk though a accursed moor, only to find that I had complete circle. Then I thought of the meadow, maybe she made it to the little clearing that I had found the strawberries. She might have made it to the meadow, and think the same as I, she might think it is a nice place to die also. I ran by the lake's edge, until I made it to the stream that I followed to the meadow.  
I walk up the stream for a few minutes that seemed like hours, until I made it to the meadow, and I saw a figure of a girl with dark brown hair lying in the field, she was lying in a pool of blood. My insides felt as if they were made of ash. I ran as fast as I could up to the body, throwing myself to my knees, and I leaned over her softly saying, "Hey, every thing will be all right."  
"Caleb," She said almost in a whisper.  
"Yes," I said.  
"Now I think I understand."  
"Understand what?"  
"That they own us. That we can do nothing to stop them. And you'll win this."  
"No, no, we'll win this somehow."  
"No, I must go."  
"Your not leaving me that easily. Promise you'll hang on."  
"I'll, I'll try. But if I die bury me here. Promise?"  
"Whatever you say." I said trying to smile. "Let me look at that arm." I said grabbing her arm to examine it.  
I was repulsed by what I saw, the cut was on her forearm when straight to beside the bone, missing it by a hair. I made me grunt.  
"Is it that bad?" Savannah asked.  
I could not lie, "Yes, it's bad. I'll try to find some thing to sow it up."

Chapter 7, Are people born only to die…  
Will was sitting on the couch, drinking a glass of murky water, staring at a map. Tyler was sharpening weapons and Becca was cooking a stew for supper. Then Joshua ran in the door, shouting, "Has she died."  
"No, thank goodness Caleb found her." Will replied.  
Shelby entered the room, and said, "Sierra is gone."  
"Gone, gone where?" Becca asked cutting potatoes.  
"I don't know."  
"She can't be far," Will said reassuring. "Maybe she's out buying food."  
"Maybe," Shelby said. "Maybe she's dead."  
"Give it a hour, she should be here my then."  
When the stew was ready the company sat at a dirty table. It was a goat stew, with potatoes, celery, and mushrooms. Everything was silent at the table, except the sound of rain.  
When they had finished, Sierra ran inside, a unit of Peacekeepers chasing her. She was soaked from the rain impeding her speed. Tyler jumped up, unsheathing his two handed great sword . He charged into the battle weapon draw, the others following him. All excepted Shelby, who was searching for his knives. Shelby finally found his knives lying on the table, he reached for them, but not before a spear protruded through he chest. The spear head when clean through, and Shelby grabbed the shaft of the spear, pulling it through himself. When he finished pulling it out, he turn on the peacekeeper, a said, "Lets see if you like being stabbed." Shelby stabbed the spear through the chest so hard, the spear was driven into the wall. The Shelby collapsed, falling face, down. When Will saw Shelby lying on a puddle of blood, he ran over to Shelby.  
"Shelby, are you ok." Will shouted.  
"Are… Are people born only to die… die so… swiftly." Shelby croaked, before closing his eyes for the last time.  
Will turned back into the battle, slicing, and chopping, blood flying all over the house. Joshua pulled a arrow from his quiver and bent down twirling snagging a peacekeeper's leg tendon, sending the solider to the floor, only to meet his end. Joshua stabbed the peacekeeper through the neck, pausing for a slight second, before ripping it out, sending a spray of blood into the air.  
Finally all of the peacekeepers were dead, sprawled out on the floor.  
"Wow," Will said surprised. "It's almost like they knew where we were."  
"Where's Shelby," Sierra asked.  
Will looked guilty, said "He's in the kitchen. With the body of a another peacekeeper."

I sat in the meadow, sewing Savannah's arm up. Apparently Savannah had some sponsors that cared for her. Patiently I worked carefully weaving the needle, back and forth, through her arm. Once her the slice in her arm was fixed, I wrapped some of the bandage that I had been sent around her arm.  
"Their how does that feel," I asked concerned.  
"Better," Savannah replied pain still in her voice.  
"Sorry, I did not find you earlier." I apologized.  
"But you did find me, and if you didn't, I probably wouldn't be here now."  
"Nah, you'd have been fine, I knew your would." I said trying to reassure her. "I'm hungry." I said noticing my growling stomach. "Do you want me to gather some food?"  
"That would be fine, just make sure you're back by nightfall, ok." She said, in a relaxed tone. Right after she said that a cannon blew off. One more down, I thought.  
I nodded and went of on to the woods, searching for some food. I must have walk for a long time, because I saw the mock orange thicket where those to kids made their camp. I searched until I found the entrance to the tunnel that led to the clearing in the middle of the thicket, then I crawled through the tunnel, following a weaving path until I made it to the center of the thicket.  
The middle was clear of the kids, but their supplies remained. The makeshift bed, the wooden table, everything, then I thought, I couldn't kill to twelve year olds, but I could destroy their camp, but first raid all of their supplies. I savaged two backpacks, MREs(meal ready to eat) matches, clothes, water, and a medicine kit. I knew they were staying there, because I could see where they had a fire that night. So I could destroy their camp, I crawled back out of the tunnel, to the entrance, and I pulled out the box of matches. Then the her face appeared in the sky, the face of Ashton. Sorrow stung me like a tracker jacker.  
I light a few matches before a fire started and in a few minutes a blaze opened before me. The entire thicket was ablaze. Great pillars of flame were shooting up into the air, catching the entire forest on fire, and it was spreading quickly. Then I thought of Savannah injured, trying to flee the blaze, but without escape, so that her flesh was being singed, before her life ran out. Then I though well that was a bit dramatic, surely I could make it to her.  
I ran as fast as I could, trying to outrun the fire. I looked up and the forest canopy was raining fire down upon me. My face was burned when a blazing leaf grazed my cheek. I pushed harder and harder, until smoke choked out almost all oxygen in my burning lungs. And one though was in my mind, I must find Savannah.  
I ran, and ran finally reaching a area where the fire hadn't reached. I stopped for a brief moment to catch a breath full of fresh air. But the fire lapped angrily at my feet. So I took back off running. I heard a cannon's blast, and my heart leapt into my throat, Savannah might have died because of me. And now I'm not far from faithless. And then I saw what had been a peaceful meadow a few minute ago, was now a burning wasteland.

Chapter 8 Inferno

I was devastated by the scene before me, the meadow burning, and Savannah nowhere to be seen. Then I thought of the stream or lake, she could have ran to either of them to save herself from the blaze. Hope was almost gone but that factor drove me forward, so I continued my search. My second wind kicked in as I ran to the stream.  
I made it to the stream, when I saw something unlike anything I thought possible. A tornado of fire swirling over the lake. Whoa, I thought marveled at the power of the game makers. The game makers, are they responsible for this disaster. That was the only logical answerer, only they would have the power to do this inferno. A figure down stream caught my eyes, it was a feminine figure plunging into the stream. I then leapt into the stream, flowing down, until I reached the lake.  
I swam out of the lake, to a branch of a willow tree over hanging the lake. The girl must have had gotten out of the lake before I climbed into the tree, because she was nowhere to be found.  
Then I saw a pack of careers running to the bank of the lake, screaming at each other. One of them pulled out a sword, and ran another through. I saw blood splash on the water's surface. Then the killer turn on another, only to be beheaded in the process. Two cannons when of in the distant marking the death of the two contestants. And then their were five, two careers, one twin, me, and Savannah, I hoped.  
The two careers started to scuffle, until one deeply sliced the other in the chest. The injured career stood in shock looking down at the cut. Blood gushed from the wound, and the contestant, fell to his knees, and died. Then the face of the killer flickered in the flame's light, it was a girl, about eighteen, her face glowed with malice. And I knew I had to face my destiny, because this was at the end of the games. I jumped back into the water, and then swimming out to the bank. I drew my war hammer, and charged to the girl.

Some where in the capitol the game makers sat around a table watching a TV. "They are not going to kill each other." A blonde hair woman said. "And if one does they'll join the rebellion in their home district."  
"I know what we can do, but it could be risky." Replied a man.  
"And what is that."  
"Perform a second reaping. That way one is bound to die."  
"I like that idea," The man said. "The only problem is they could survive again."  
"Yes, but," Another woman interrupted. "This time be more specific, let us make the tributes fifteen and older, and give them more supplies when they enter the arena."  
"Good idea, but make it fourteen and over, because Savannah is almost fourteen. And if both survive this new round both will win." The first woman said, and others agreed. "But don't tell the president, he'll be infuriated if both of them goes home.  
"And so it is settled, we'll have a extra reaping, and if both Savannah, and, Caleb survive both will be crowned champions. We shall perform the reaping tomorrow and have the recruits flown into the arena by aircraft."

Chapter 9 A new game  
I charged the female warrior, my hammer drawn. She drew her sword, pointing it at me. But then another cannon blasted off, and I saw Savannah swimming out of the lake to the bank by me. We're the only ones left. And me and Savannah would have to kill each other.  
Savannah pulled her bow on the girl, pausing briefly before launching a arrow into the girl's chest, but the arrow only stopped the warrior for a second. The girl broke the arrow off, and started to charge Savannah. Quickly Savannah launched another arrow at her, but it missed.  
I shouted, "Aim for her face Savannah, she has armor." But Savannah pulled back another arrow, striking the girl between her eyes. The girl staggered and then fell on her face, driving the arrow through her skull.  
I shouted "Great shot," but she looked horror stricken. "So what you killed. her she was going to kill you."  
"No, it's not that." She said grimly. "But we're the only ones left." But then a voice boomed in the arena.  
"Congratulations, you have made it to the second round of the games. You will have a medical team inspect you beforehand. If both of you survive the next round, you'll both be declared winners, if not… well the same as normal." The voice faded and silence consumed the arena. Apparently the game makers put the fire out, because the only thing that lit up the arena was a few embers the were burning.  
Then a hovercraft appeared over us, dropping a rope ladder. "Ready?" I asked.  
"I though you'd never ask." She replied in a tense tone. We grabbed the ladder and it was pulled up. We clung to it as tightly as we could, ensuring us that we wouldn't fall.  
When we made it to the interior of the aircraft we were separated and I was brought to a small room. The room was made of steel wall, and it had a bed, a IV, some medication, and several doctors. "Hello Mr. Lamb, please sit on the bed." One of the doctors asked me. I did as commanded sitting on the bed. "Thank you, now I want you to relax, oh, and one more thing, this is gonna hurt." The doctors said as he injected a needle into my arm, emptying a shot into my body. Then every thing was fuzzy, and I lost consciousness.

I awoke to the sound of a robotic voice saying, "Vital signs are stable. All wounds are healed." A automated voice said. "You will be reinserted into the games in one hour."  
One hour! That wasn't much of a break, although I did feel refreshed and energized. I stood up, although I was slightly dizzy, I could walk find after a few seconds. All of the doctors were gone, and on a tray was a bisque, and a biscuit, so I deiced to eat.  
It took me a long time to eat all of the delightful food and when I finished, the door slid open, and a team of doctors entered, with Justin. "Justin!" I exclaimed. "Did I do everything all right, is Savannah all right."  
"Fine, everything is fine." Justin said. "And you need to prepare for the next round."  
"How?'' I asked.  
"You need to protect Savannah, and she'll protect you, you guys can beat this sick game. Plus the next tributes are fourteen and older, and they are highly trained. They'll specializing in various tactics from, swordplay, to camouflage. But one fact will remain the same, they will kill each other also, so use this to your advantage. Also when you enter the arena, the cornucopia will be restocked, so all of you weapons will be reclaimed, except one of you choosing. Savannah already chose the bow and arrows, so what do you chose.  
The question weight heavily on my mind, because it could change the battle. "The sword, will be my weapon."  
"Well the doctors cleared you for battle, so in about ten minutes you, and, Savannah will be reinserted in to the arena, just as you left, except you will only have one weapon to start with. And Caleb, good luck." Justin ended.  
"Thank you, Justin." I said casually. We waited.  
"Well then, let's go." He left the room, and I followed. We walked to a door, so I knew we were out of the airship. He handed me my sword, and I placed it on my belt. Then I saw a clock that was counting down, to the release of the new tributes. The clock made it the three seconds, two seconds, one second. Then the door flew open.  
The door opened, and Justin shoved me out into the arena. I saw tributes running to the cornucopia, the giant metal horn rising out of the earth, behind it was a forest landscape, similar but more mountainous than the environment I was in the other arena. Where is Savannah, my mind focused on that one thought. I knew she wasn't stupid enough to run into the center of the action, and I was thankful for that. But not knowing where my partner was is a bit unnerving, especially because I knew we both needed each other to survive. I picked up a backpack, bedroll, some MREs, about ten feet of rope, and a fire starter.  
Then a boy ran over to me swinging my hammer, so I ducked dodging the weapon only by a inch. "Nice, but I think I need my supplies back." I taunted. "Only I can wield that hammer."  
"Oh yeah, well you'll have to pry it from my cold-" That was all he could say before, and great sword ran through his chest cavity, spraying blood all over my face.  
His attacker was a tall girl, and she laughed lightly, as if amused by the boy's end. She removed the sword, and started to attack me. We exchanged swings, and chops, dodging, and ducking, but in the end I sliced the back of her hand, sending blood all over her sword handle. She froze staring at her own blood, so I used that to my advantage, so I fled into the forest.  
It was one of the most peaceful moments that I had in the arena, until my wandering mind though of Savannah. Why did I think of her, I mean sure I should care about her, but when I'm at my most peaceful moments, the thought of her death is always appearing in my mind. But I guess that their isn't much I can do right now, so why worry, she'll be fine. I told myself to reassure myself. We made it through the first round, so why not this one.

Midnight. The full moon shone through the cloudy sky. Three silhouettes darted through the eerie light. "Ok", Will said. "Tyler, go steal some bomb with detonators, but not enough that the Peacekeepers will miss them. Joshua, you snipe any resistance. I have my our personal business to attend too."  
So Joshua climbed up on a fire escape a cross the street of where the bombs are located, bow in hand. Tyler's shape glided object to object until he was across the street. Two peacekeepers were stationed in front of the door that lead to the ammunition depot. Then the peacekeepers saw Tyler and one cried, "Hold it! Only authorized personnel are aloud back here.  
By now more peacekeepers were coming out of the building, to see what was going on. They surrounded Tyler, Tyler raised his hand, and Joshua seeing that signal, let a arrow fly.  
The arrow missed the peacekeeper's neck and sunk into his shoulder. He let out a cry, but that was silenced by Tyler's dagger cutting his throat. Tyler turned and plunged his knife into the chest of another peacekeeper sending a sticky wet spray thought the air. Tyler turn to fight more, but all the others peacekeeper were lying on the ground, and had arrows protruding out of their bodies. Tyler nodded a thank you at Joshua.  
Tyler pulled out his lock picking kit and started to pick the lock that lead to the depot. He broke one pick before he unlocked the door. He opened the door and entered.  
In side the warehouse the lighting was very poor. A few peacekeepers were asleep at their guard position. He crouched and began to open crates of ammunition, but he couldn't find any charges. He then snuck down a narrow hall.  
The hall lead to a large room filled with peacekeepers loading and unloading large crates. Some crates had the words "Danger Exploding Hazard" painted on the sides of them. Wow, that was easy, thought Tyler. But the peacekeepers were loading the crates into a truck.  
Tyler snuck up behind a sleeping peacekeeper and sliced open the guard's jugular vein. Blood spilled poured out onto the floor splattering Tyler's shoes. The guard died instantly.  
Tyler saw a shadow moving in the rafters in the warehouse.  
The figure carried a bow. Tyler nodded at the figure, and the figure nodded back. The figure shot a peacekeeper that was coming up behind Tyler. The arrow plunged into the peacekeeper's neck, and he fell over dead.  
Then Tyler then snuck in closer to the five peacekeepers loading the truck. Tyler picked up a crowbar that was leaning on a crate, and swung it into the back of a peacekeeper's head. The man fell and the figure unleashed a rain of arrows upon the remaining guards.  
After all the guards in the area were killed, Tyler broke open several crates, until he found some charges with detonators. He loaded the crates into the truck. More peacekeepers were running into the depot, so Tyler then open the door to the truck. He crawled in. He had driven trucks in district 7 hauling lumber, so he knew how to drive. Then the figure dropped down into the back of the vehicle. Tyler stomped on the gas pedal, and wheel off through the door sending wood and bits of metal through the air.  
The shrill shriek of rubber meeting earth pierced the night. Residents of district 8 peer out of their window to see what had awakened them in the middle of the night. A few children ran after the truck, excited by its speed.  
The truck drove to the fence of district 8. Tyler faced the fence that led to the wilderness. He looked at the figure in the back of the truck. The figure nodded. Tyler stomped the gas pedal.  
Earth flew into the air. The truck met the chain-link fence. Then with a loud crash the truck ripped a massive hole through the chain-link fence, and for the first time ever a district was free. A wave of people ran through the remains of the fence into the wild.  
Tyler drove the truck through the forest. He drove fast, weaving between trees, until he ran into a dry creek bed. "Joshua are you all right." Tyler asked.  
"Yeah, I'm ok. Except that we're trapped outside of our district. How do you think we'll make it."  
"Easy when you had a crate full of large explosives." Tyler said raking explosives into two a large backpacks.  
The next morning Tyler had planted ten explosives on the west side of the district's fence. He planed to detonate those ten setting off a chain reaction that would blow up the fence, and draw people to the holes in the fence. And then on the chaos set one small charge off on the east fence hoping that nobody would notice.  
He planted the ones on the west fence easily, since most of the peacekeepers were at the hole Tyler ripped through the fence in the truck. He activated and dropped ten charges on the ground, about fifteen yards apart.  
He then went to the east side to place were, Joshua was sitting in a hollow tree holding a controller that would detonate all of the live charges. He was sitting roughly one hundred feet away from the fence. Tyler ran up to Joshua and said "Light it up."  
A booming roar erupted on the other side of the district. Tyler ran up to the fence and activated a smaller charge. He ran back to Joshua. The earth exploded into the air sending clumps of sod raining on Tyler and Joshua as they ran back in the district. Charges lining the insides of the coats.  
They ran back into Will's house. Every one was sitting with stunned expressions on their faces. "No reason to act so shocked," Tyler said. "I mean, you knew that we would come back, right."  
Will spoke up " We're not shocked because you came back, but because Becca's dead."  
"What?!" The exhausted boys exclaimed simultaneously.  
"Who killed her?" Joshua asked.  
"The peacekeepers," Will answered. "When we were gone last night they attacked the house.." Then Joshua noticed the blood smeared walls, and several bodies. He saw Sierra lying on her back, her breaths were shallow, dried tears on her cheeks, and her olive shirt had a dark red stain in the center.  
"What happened to her?" Tyler asked.  
"She… she in shock. She held Becca when she died." Nathan answered. He had a blood sealed gash on his upper right arm. "Becca saved her. She took a spear for Sierra. I killed one peacekeeper, that's his arm over there." Nathan said pointing to a dismembered arm, hacked off in the middle of the upper arm. "Becca poisoned one, and Sierra slashed two throats. One… one escaped."  
"That's horrible!" Joshua exclaimed.  
"That's not the half." Nathan said grimly. "It took Becca at least a hour to die."  
Will interrupted "We would have left, but we had to wait on you guys. They'll be back soon, Tyler give me two explosives."  
Tyler reached into his backpack and pulled out two of the explosives with timers. "We'll plant them on the to main support beams so when the peacekeepers come in BOOM they'll be blown to smithereens."  
"Right, Tyler. Go plant them." Tyler when off into the kitchen and stuck the bomb on the central interior support wall. Then he when planted the other on the opposite wall. "Good now that, that's set up we need to go."  
"Wait, where's Becca." Joshua asked.  
"She's in her bedroom, on her bed. We're leaving her." Will said choking back a sob. "This was her home- is her home. And she'll go down with it."  
"We can' just leave her there!" Joshua exclaimed.  
"We must, it would be to conspicuous dragging her around the city." Will said, anguish burning in his eyes. "Trust me, if I could take her I could," Tears were starting to fall. "I don't her want to be blown to pieces." He grabbed his forehead and looked down. "You know," He choked, "Sometime I wonder why we were stupid enough to try to rebel. It's done nothing to free us!" His face was turning red now. "The only thing it has done is it kill my best friend, and my baby sister."  
"But, she wasn't a baby, Will." Tyler interrupted, anger and pain flashing through his eyes. "She had to make a choice, just like the rest of us, a choice to send those peacekeepers back to hell! She has killed just like us, she could protect herself. She chose to save her best friend, a sacrifice I'd be happy to make." Tyler had to stop and catch his breath.  
"And Will," Joshua added, "It saved Savannah and Caleb, because they had another chance to survive, together. If we didn't start this crap, one of them would be dead. They would have had to kill each other."  
"I know," Will said, "It's just so hard, loosing them."  
"I understand," Tyler commented, "My girlfriend died on TV, just because of Caleb's stupid accident. That was hard, Will. And it was hard to forgive Caleb, but I did. What I'm just saying, Will, we have all lost something."  
Will nodded his head, still crying. "Hey, um… guys, I think it's time to leave," Joshua said, look outside the window at the army peacekeepers walking in square formation towards their house. "We have baddies coming our way."  
"He's right," Will said, "We need to leave. Everyone out the back door, grab your weapons and anything else we might need." Will grabbed his two short swords, and fastened them on his belt. He then ran by Sierra, who was grabbing a load of knifes and a black hoodie. Joshua grabbed his quiver full of arrows, pocket knife, and his bow. Nathan put his hatchet on the loops on his pants and put on his trench coat. And Tyler grabbed one short sword, and his backpack full of explosives, he hit the bombs timers, meaning they had one and a half minutes to get out of the house.  
Then they gathered by the back door, Will said, "On three, we run, and I mean run, to Nicholas's house." Nicholas's was one of their friends that refused to join the rebellion, not because he was loyal to the Capital, or because he was stuck up, but because he thought he was to old to fight. Nicholas was an older man, about fifty that lived in a tall apartment across the street. "One." Will counted, "two." his voice rising into a crescendo, "Three!" He exclaimed opening up the door and running into the empty street.

I jogged into the forest thinking I was stupid not to grab my hammer. Someone somewhere is using my weapon to do their dirty work, of course there's no dirty work in the arena. It's just kill or be killed.  
My jog broke down into a fast walk, as I reached a valley, a open valley. Good, I though, their should be some water nearby. And sure enough there was water. A little puddle about the size of my hand with a little black lantern shaped thing in the middle of it. "Hmm, I wonder what you are?" I asked the unusual object, not really caring what it was. So I laid down and dipped my face into it.  
A shock of cold coursed through me, as my face touched cool surface. Weird, I thought. I drank it, but it chilled my core terribly, and slowed my walking pace somewhat. Next time I'll put it into a water bottle to warm it up.  
I then walked back over to a game trail on the mountains edge. I cut a nice sized sapling down and stripped the leaves and branches off of it to form a pole. Then I cut two, one foot sections off the pole and sharpened them into short spears, and tying them to the end of the pole about six inches apart. I placed the pole against a tree that was near the trail, large end of the pole up and the spears pointing towards the trunk of the tree. Since I was hunting man I raised the spears to about mid chest height and lashed the large end to the tree with my rope. I then cut another pole that was four foot long and two inches wide. Then I drove it into the ground on the opposite side of the trail. I then proceeded by cutting a stick about eight inches long and one half inch in diameter, and tying sixteen inches of my cord in the middle of the stick and the other end of the cord to my pole in the ground. I cut another smooth stick sixteen inches long and set it near the pole.  
I bent the spear pole back until it reached the pole in the ground, on the other side of the trail. I wrapped one end of the shorter stick and cord half way around the end of the spear pole so that one end of the stick points to the game trail. I held the short stick and the spear pole up with one hand. With my free hand I picked up the longer stick and placed it along the shorter stick, I aligned the ends of the sticks so that the shorter stick was facing the game trail. I fashion a ring out of a smooth vine and placed the other end of the longer stick against the inner side of the pole against the ground. I held both sticks and the spear pole in place with one hand. And I placed my vine ring over the ends of the sticks facing the trail. I slowly released my grip on the spear poles and sticks, until the tension of the spear pole bore against the small stick and cord. The vine ring held both sticks together and the tension forced the longer stick to bear down on the pole in the ground. Finally I inserted the stick on the end of the trip line through the vine ring, and violá. It was finished, when the tribute hit's the trip line the slip ring will be pulled out of place releasing the two deadly spears.  
I pity the fool that walks through this trail, I though proud of my trap. Then I noticed the sun was setting and I needed a camp. So I climbed up the mountain, about two hundred feet higher, and found a little cave cut into the side of the mountain. It had several spider webs delicately woven across the entrance. I swiped away the small sticky structures, and crawled in.  
The cave was narrow and slanted downwards at about five degrees. I crawled thirty feet away from the entrance and stopped to make camp. I unzipped my backpack and took out the bedroll, a MRE, and something I didn't see earlier, a pair of sunglasses like the ones I took off Red. Red… my first kill… she was really sweet, but Savannah made me kill her. Maybe Savannah isn't as innocent as I think. In fact she's just another girl that will do anything to get back home.  
No! Savannah is my friend and she'd never hurt anyone unless she must. My mind was debating against itself, one side for Savannah, and the other telling me she's just using me. No! She's my friend! I screamed inside! A friend… a f-r-i-e-n-d. She's never hurt me!  
Fool! Retaliated the other team. Would a friend let you kill so many without offering to lessen your burden?  
She's to sweet to hurt anyone unless they where threatening me or her. Remember she saved me from Blaine twice.  
No, she saved you because you're her hope for survival. Her life depended on it. If she didn't stop Blaine his odds of killing she would have increased.  
But, the pro-Savannah said, if she wanted me dead she would have let Blaine killed me and then killed him!  
The other side said nothing. I was finally at peace. Savannah was my friend, and I knew it. I opened my MRE, it was a wheat taco with a chili dipping sauce. I ate silently, only thinking of victory and going home.  
I slid into my sleeping bag, and glanced at the mouth of the cave. The sun had disappeared and the sky was turning a dark blue. I closed my eyes, and fell asleep.

I was awoken by a high pitched screaming. Unnerved, I jumped out of bed, and grabbed my sword. I slowly walked up to the mouth of the cave. The sky was still dark, so I fumbled around bat to my bag and looked for some matches. Then I saw the glassed, and I could see through them! Duh, I though. That's why the made everything brighter, they're for using at night! I put the glasses on and I made my way back to the mouth.  
Another scream pieced the night. It was coming from the bottom of the hill. Now I'm really scared not knowing what horrible thing the game makers put in their game. I ran atop of a precipice and glanced and the scene unfolding below.  
Group of ferocious group of probably careers were chasing a younger girl, about 14 years old. Several arrows pierced her, one in her lower stomach and, two more in her back. She was running slowly, and the careers were just chasing her for sport.  
Now, I could either try to save her giving up my position, or stay where I'm at and leave her to die at the merciless hands of the pack. The choice was clear.

Several street children were playing games in the dirt when Nathan ran by, two peacekeepers on his trail. Nathan was running, so fast, but the peacekeepers were steadily gaining. He had no choice but to turn and kill his pursuers.  
He took a skidding halt and turned around to face the foe. Grabbing a hatchet he started to run back the way he came. Everything was slow motion to him. One peacekeeper lunged a spear towards him. Sidestepping he hooked to spear with his hatchet, and wrenched it from his hands. Nathan chopped the clavicle of the solider, making a sickly crunch. The solider dropped instantly and Nathan ducked to dodge the other peacekeeper's sword. Nathan being low to the ground hooked the peacekeepers leg with his hatchet. The man dropped and Nathan, stood placing his foot on the fallen troop's chest.  
"Go on, finish me." The peacekeeper said angry that a kid bested him.  
"Why should I show you that type of mercy, you bastards killed my sister! I should cut you into pieces, leaving you in the street."  
The peacekeeper sneered "He he, the little girl, it was me. I killed her, see the blood on my gloves, that's hers." He said looking at his red gloves, laughing. Pure hate burned in Nathan's eyes, his face curled in a most unpleasant way.  
Nostrils flared he screamed, "Why… why would you do that, and you… you enjoyed it. Your sick, you know that. She was just eleven."  
"It's my job, to crush hope and sprits. And boy I did my job, you're never going to be the same. And what have you gained from this pitiful rebellion? Nothing but dead friends and family, and a pissed off country. Boy, do you know what the president's doing? He gonna give the peacekeepers guns if you keep this nonsense up." The peacekeeper spat on Nathan's boot, and Nathan chopped down on the man's throat. His hatchet only cut through the windpipe and several veins. Dark purplish blood literally bubbled when he exhaled and when he inhaled he inhaled much blood.  
Nathan left him there and have the other peacekeeper a sharp blow on the back of his head, coating the hatchet with blood and brain.  
He saw Nicholas's house up ahead. He ran up to the door and opened it. The entire crew was their, alive and pretty much unscathed. "Thank God, you made it back safely, Nathan." Will said hugging his brother.  
"Whoa, Will, don't start getting soft on me man." Nathan said smothered.  
"Sorry… sorry bud, it just I'm glad you made it here safely  
"Will, there's some serious stuff going down." Nathan said in a blunt tone. :The president may order guns out. Guns, Will, Guns! You know what those will do to you, Will."  
"If what your saying it true we need to act fast and cripple them getting reinforcements, any ideas?" Will asked.  
"The trains, destroy the trains and that would cut the district off for awhile." Nicolas said, coming out of the kitchen with a cup of tea. "Now of course a band of wanted criminals can't just hop on a train now can ye?"  
"No, I suppose not, but if we steal some peacekeepers' clothes we might be able to, at least long enough to set the bombs." Tyler suggested.  
"Good one, Tyler." Will said, "Tyler, I know that we've had our problems in the past but I want to put that all behind us and become friends."  
Tyler though about it for a second, "Sure, why not." Tyler said shaking Will's hand.

I jumped off the cliff I was standing on, fell about twenty feet, and I broke my fall hitting one of the attackers. I felt his neck snap when I hit his body, knocking him to the ground, and a cannon blew off. "She has allies hidden up in the rocks!" exclaimed a female tribute. Then I noticed another boy attacking a career beside me. "Run, who knows how many others are up there." The tribute said, running into the forest below, followed by two more tributes.  
After they fled, I turned to shake hands with the other boy, when he pushed me up onto the rock face. "Who are you, and why did you help us?!" He asked me angrily.  
"No, Mason don't hurt him, he helped us out!" The girl shouted to Mason.  
"Quiet, we don't know anything about him, he could be dangerous." Mason said to the girl, in a calmer tone. "Who are you?" He asked, restraining his voice.  
I though should I tell them, I mean they were told specifically to kill me when they arrived. "If I tell you, do you promise not to kill me?" I asked him.  
"He promises." The girl said. "He wouldn't hurt anyone unless he had to."  
"Maddy, I told you to be quiet." Mason told the girl seriously. Maddy's head dropped, she looked crestfallen.  
"Shut up," I told him, "I'm… I'm Caleb, from district eight, the survivor."  
He reached for a knife that was sheathed on his chest. "No! Mason don't hurt him. We may need him, since he has won it once."  
"No, he's the reason were trapped in this infernal game of death, and we've already lost Ellie to the games, and I'm not losing you." Mason said, unsheathing his knife.  
"He's not normally like this, he's just scared. Mason don't hurt him, he helped us out and we could be dead if it wasn't for him." Maddy said, trying to convince him to let me go.  
Mason flared his nostrils and said "Fine, but we're not partnering up with him."  
"Like I would wanna be your ally." I said after he released me.  
"We're going, Maddy, c'mon." Mason said, walking up the mountain. Maddy looked unsure and whispered to me, "I'm sorry, I really am. We would have made a good team."  
"Maddy!" Mason said walking slower.  
"Your not the boss of me!" Maddy shouted, and then ran up to where he was.  
Since they where going up the mountain I had to wait until they where out of view, so I could go back to my cave. I crawled inside and went to sleep.  
The next mourning I packed everything into my backpack and crawled out of the mouth of the cave. When I surveyed the landscape I noticed that water had came from partially nowhere and made the mountain an island. The power of the game makers marveled me. How could they have that power and use it for evil purposes.  
I trotted down, cupping the water, when I felt and icy sensation shoot through my hand. The black thing in the puddle, maybe that was a pump or a fountain or something like that, do the game makers could flood the arena.  
I looked you and glanced across the water seeing several other mountain caps poking over the horizon. I squinted my eyes to see if I could see anyone on the other mountains, but to no success. The sun's reflection off the water made it impossible to focus on anything for to long.  
Then I thought, what about the animals that were in the valleys, wouldn't they be up here? If no that meant there weren't any animals to eat, and that meant eating only plants, MREs or cannibalism, and cannibalism was frowned upon in the arena ever since two years ago when a boy went crazy and ate other tributes hearts. So maybe I wouldn't have to revert to that. I though about the MREs in my backpack and how I would have to conserve them.  
Crap, that only meant I had a few meals left, and I couldn't go hungry for to long or I'd lose my strength, so maybe I could take some food off of other tributes.  
I wasn't going solve any problems by standing there over thinking everything. So I set off to the top of the mountain. I started to walk when I saw something move in the corner of my eye behind a moss covered boulder. Great, just what I needed another tribute attack. "Come out," I called, "lets settle this like gentlemen, in a one on one fight to the death." I moved closer to the boulder and leaned to the left. "Hello," I whispered, looking carefully behind the rock. "Is there anyone where?" I asked. We can settle this the hard way or… well the hard way, now come on and face me."  
"Fine, but I'll have you know I'm not afraid to kill." A boy snarled coming out from behind the rock.  
"Good, because I love a challenge." I said with a half smile, unsheathing my sword. "What district are you from?" I asked cockily.  
"Seven," He replied. "I'm here to avenge my sister." Fire burned in his eyes.  
Gosh, he had to have been kidding, I mean, what were the odds, unless he volunteered. "You volunteered didn't you?"  
"Like I would miss the chance to kill you." He said charging me, axe drawn.  
I sidestepped him easily. His momentum was so great he ran a good ten yards passed me. "Um… are you going to kill me or not?" I taunted.  
He shouted in anger, and ran back to me swinging for my neck. I ducked grabbed, picked up and tossed him to the ground. "Listen," I said looking at him feeling sorry for him. "Your not going to kill me like that, so come back and fight me when your worth my time." I turned away from him and started to walk back up the mountain. I took my first step, second, third, forth, then I heard it, a thunderous trample coming right towards me. Right before it hit me I ducked, turned and slashed horizontally.  
My sword hit the boy perfectly in the chest, sending blood into the air. "N-no… I can't die… not here… not now… I made a promise." The boy stammered said falling to his knees, thick dark red blood pouring from his chest.  
"Don't make a promise that you can't keep." I said icily. "Look in my eyes, I'll be the last thing you see." I stood over him. "The killer of you sister and you." He looked at me then his eyes glazed over and the cannon blew off. His blood stained my soul and I knew I was loosing myself. How much longer could I stand it before I lost it. So far I've only been evil when I've need to be, but could I control it.  
I looked at the horizon I noticed that this was the only mountain above the water. The game makers where tired of this game. I lost count of the cannons and I didn't watch the recap from the night before. I knew it must be low because not many went off today. Was Savannah dead? I told myself she wasn't, but I didn't believe it. I know the ending is growing closer, and it's only a matter of time until I get knocked off. Then were do we go after death, I didn't know, and I didn't care. I climbed to the top of the mountain preparing for the ending.  
Then a voice boomed through out the arena. "Tributes, the end of this game is drawing nigh. To speed this up the water of death will force you to the top of the mountain, where the final battle will take place."

Chapter 10  
The Finale  
I stood at the top, the top of the arena and saw the tributes down below. All of them coming up to me not caring about each other, they could worry after they killed me. Water rose steadily behind them.  
"Stop," I cried. "How many of you wish you see your parents, bothers, sisters, girlfriends, boyfriend, neighbors, and homes once again?" They stopped and looked at me. That is exactly what I wanted, and I counted how many where left. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, when I looked on the tenth tribute I burst into tears. It was Savannah. Savannah, the girl from eight, the pacifistic girl from eight lived on.  
"There are eleven of us left, and once ten are dead the victor will be crowned, and-" Then one of the tributes decapitated another and a battle broke out between the remaining tributes. Between all but Savannah, who continued walking up the hill to me.  
Then something very interesting happened unlike anything I've ever seen. It was a single grenade floating towards me on a parachute. I had no idea what to do with it, or why it was sent to me, but I grabbed it and removed the strings off of it. Then I noticed it had a little note attached to it. Caleb, enclosed are pill containing the poison of the blowfish. ~Justin p.s. try something stupid. I felt a little bump and torn the paper open, reveling a little purple pill.  
"Caleb!" Savannah exclaimed from behind me. "Caleb, it's you. I was so wor-" I placed my fingers over her lips and kissed her. I didn't know why, but that seemed like the right thing to do at the moment, and that moment lasted forever. When I pulled away I saw two tributes behind Savannah, walking at a slow pace. "Savannah, take my sword and finish this." I said, handing her my sword. "Good-bye, and remember I love you." I said, swallowing the pill, lobbing the grenade at the tributes, and I threw myself off the cliff, falling seventy feet on my side. The last thing I remember before darkness overtook me was hearing an explosion and some one screaming my name.

End Of Part One


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